If you have ever flown Southwest, you know everything is different with these folks, and in most cases certainly more efficient. These guys are on time and take on-time performance seriously. But the reason for this post is to just pass on an observation or two concerning their boarding procedure. The process is simple but forces one to think a little. When you check in for the flight, you will be assigned a boarding group which is always lettered, "A" "B" or "C" and a number will be printed beside the boarding group.
For example, my boarding pass tonight for my flight from MDW to IND(y) says "A17". This simply means that I line up in the "A" line and make sure I am in front of whoever is holding A18, but behind A16.
This is where the chaos starts. I would love to have a video camera out when these groups try to line up. I have never been on a Southwest flight where everyone has this figured out. There is always someone who stands in the boarding area completely dumbfounded by this. It's just amazing. If you can get them to at least get up with their appropriate group, that's outstanding, but getting everybody numerically sequenced would be an miracle. Southwest has even been forced to upload a little Flash video presentation called Southwest Boarding School.
I'm amazed at how overwhelmed people seem to be when you confront them with a letter and a number in the same sentence. I should know, my consulting business is centered around federal regulations which are always written in a legal code involving letters and numbers.
I hate to say it, and you may think I'm just too negative, but travel will convince you quickly that this country has not gotten more intelligent in recent years. Just go to the nearest Southwest boarding gate for confirmation.
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